Cities Back Streetcar Programs

Local cities continue to back their streetcar programs, even though the newly Republican controlled House is unlikely to provide federal funding. This story and more in this Infrastructure in the News!

National News

PR Newswire: A Look Ahead: AASHTO's Top 10 Transportation Issues in 2011
With a new majority in the House, a new chairman and many new members of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, as well as a changing national economic picture, it is worth asking the question, "What's ahead for transportation in 2011?" The American Association of State and Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO) has compiled a list of very distinct – and pressing – issues that loom at the local, state, and federal levels.

Infrastructurist: Localities Back Streetcar Lines, Even if Feds Won't
Federal money for public transit will likely be hard to come by with Republicans now in control of the House. But Yonah Freemark feels optimistic about future of streetcars. Why? Well, several big cities, including Atlanta, Detroit, St. Louis, and Washington D.C. continue to develop their lines at pace. And a quartet of other localities announced financial commitments to their own streetcar programs this month.

Peoples Daily Online: China to continue loan support for Africa to improve infrastructure
China pledged Thursday to extend its loan support for African nations to improve their backward infrastructure, a bottleneck that hinders the development in the continent. According to a white paper released by the Chinese government, another 10 billion U.S. dollars of preferential loans will be provided to Africa between 2010 and 2012, in addition to the 5 billion U.S. dollars of preferential loans and exports buyers' credit provided from 2007 to 2009.

State News

Progress Illinois: Transit Advocates Push Mayoral Candidates To Go Green
Here's some good news out of the Chicago Transit Authority this week. The Tribune's John Hilkevitch reports that the agency is set to receive another federal grant to plan for rapid transit-style bus service (BRT) in the Windy City. The $1.6 million windfall will be used along the transit agency's western corridor. Earlier this year, the CTA and the Chicago Department of Transportation nabbed a combined $35 million to establish quicker bus service along two major transit routes. Planning is scheduled to begin in early 2011.

Business Times: Illinois forms partnership to develop high-speed rail to St. Louis
State of Illinois announced today it will use some of the federal funds rejected by Wisconsin Governor-elect Scott Walker to create a public-private partnership that will develop high-speed rail from Chicago to St. Louis, Mo., by 2014.

Capitol Weekly: Money flowing, high-speed rail gets back on track
The California High Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) approved the use of additional federal funding to build the first tracks of the mammoth, $43 billion project to run from Fresno to Bakersfield.

The Tribune: Senator Williams talks budget, infrastructure
State Senator Tommy Williams visited the Lake Houston Area Chamber of Commerce last week, giving his thoughts and insights on the upcoming state legislative session on subjects ranging from the state budget to Homeland Security to infrastructure.

Water World: Lt. Governor Skillman Awards More Than $10 Million for Water Infrastructure Projects for Disaster Recovery Funds
Today, Lt. Governor Becky Skillman announced that 13 Hoosier communities will receive grants totaling $10,876,512 for storm water infrastructure projects. These grants are funded by an appropriation for disaster recovery efforts from the federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. These funds were made available to aid in economic recovery after several natural disasters caused damage in many areas across the state during 2008. Indiana's CDBG Disaster Recovery program is administered by the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs.

Indy Star: Mass transit gets major push
The joint letter released today by 11 high-profile Central Indiana leaders marks an important step forward in the long and often frustrating effort to build a modern mass transit system in the region. In the letter, published on the next page, two ranking state lawmakers -- Senate Finance Committee Chairman Luke Kenley, a Republican, and former House Ways and Means Chairman Bill Crawford, a Democrat -- commit to helping craft legislation that finally would allow local governments to move forward with creation of a transit system.